story1969.xml

story1969.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-09

It was early morning, around 7:30 a.m., when I arrived at the high school. I am the study hall supervisor there. It was my first year as a full-time faculty member there. It was a special day as half of the student body were taking ISTEP (state standardized tests) while the other half were participating in SLAM (September Learning Module). SLAM enabled the students to travel outside the school to do fun things like bowl, fish, tour our town, etc. I was to tour a group of new and exchange students through historically significant buildings in our small town. When I had left my house that morning everything seemed fine. Good Morning America had come on like usual. Their top story wasn't a particularly strong one. Before we were to leave the building, a student came up to me and said, "Did you hear a plane ran into the World Trade Center?" I said "No. What type of plane was it?" "I don't know," the student replied. I remember thinking that it must have been a twin-engine cessna or something that wasn't really serious. We had access to televisions but none of them were on. We took our walking tour and everything appeared to be normal until we went into our school corporation's offices to have a look around. The receptionist was on the verge of tears. She told us something horrible had happened and there was a big screen television in the board room if we wanted to watch the unfolding event. I couldn't believe what I saw. Smoke rising from one of the world's tallest buildings. Word had also gotten to the news anchor that the Pentagon had been hit as well. My mind was swimming. The information almost to thick for me to comprehend. The students and I assembled in seats around the school board table to watch the news coverage. I remember telling the students "You'll always remember this day. Just like some do when President Kennedy was assassinated." Then, all of a sudden, it happened.... the first one of the twin towers collapsed. I kept saying out-loud but to myself "I can't believe it." I said this over and over. I was trying to give the kids comfort but at the same time trying to help them comprehend this tragic event in American History. Upon seeing this, I felt the need for us to return to the school building. No one knew what was going to happen next. Some of those we saw or talked to that day were wondering aloud "Is anything else going to happen? Is the world just falling appart before our very eyes?" After we returned to the building shaken, both television sets in my room were turned to CNN. We learned in my room that all flights to the U.S. from foreign countries had been ordered to turn back. That Canada would now be responsible for taking all aircraft bound for the U.S. We also learned that schools in our capital city of Indianapolis were shutting down because they either were scared or parents came to pick their children up because of the uncertainty. About this time, the school's vice principal came in to inform me that we were going on "lock-down" status for an undetermined period of time. This means that we have to turn the televisions, lights off, close and lock the doors and windows and hide far away from potential flying glass and debris. That afternoon, parents galore came to the building or called our principal to make sure everything was alright. Fortunately, nothing our of the ordinary happened in our small corner of the Hoosier State. But we all as students and faculty felt very sad for those who lost their lives on that tragic day none of us will ever forget.